Illuminating mechanism for handbags



Oct. 27, 1942. c, P, CURLE ILLUMINATING MECHANISM FOR HANDBAGS Filed April 19. 1941 vrw Patented Oct. 27, 1942 ILLUMINATING MECHANISM For: HANDBAGS Chester 1 Curie, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,424

(Cl. zit- 6.45)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to hand luggage and it is an object of the invention to provide an article of this kind such as hand bags, overnight bags, suit cases and kindred articles including ladies purses with means to illuminate the interior of the article as well as directing a beam of light exteriorly of the article.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of hand luggage or the like including relatively movable bail sections or frames for opening or closing the article together with an illuminating means carried by one of the bails and wherein said illuminating means is maintained inefiective when the bails are in closed relation but becomes efiective automatically up'on opening movement of the bails.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved article whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. a

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed'to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an article of luggage, partly in elevation and partly in section, provided with an illuminating means. constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation of the lighting mechanism as herein comprised unapplied;

Figure 4 is an elevational' view of the front plate of the lighting mechanism, said plate being in blank;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 2.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing I and 2 denote bail sections or frames of channel formation and which are embodied in a conventional manner within the structure of a hand bag or kindred article, and which balls or frames are employed in opening or closing the bag or 5 and 6 the inner side flanges a of these bails or frames I and 2 are substantially in contact when the bag is fully closed.

My improved illuminating means as herein embodied comprises an elongated metallic plate 3 which is suitably held within the intermediate portion of one of the bails or frames I and which is provided at one end portion with an opening 4 which registers with an opening 5 through the inner flange a of the member I. The opposite end portion of the plate 3 has struck therefrom a resilient finger 6 for contact with an end of a dry battery I and operating to maintain the opposite end of said battery 'I in close contact with a lug 8 also struck from the plate 3. The dry battery I may be of any character preferred and in referring to the dry battery 1 it is to be stated that this also includes a conventional assembly of a plurality of battery units.

In the present embodiment of my invention the battery I is held to the plate 3 by a resilient clamping arm 9 of brass or other desired material. One end portion of this arm 9 is welded or otherwise securely anchored, as at ill, to the plate 3 and this arm 9 is of such longitudinal configuration to have close contact over the applied battery I, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing. The plate 3, being of metal, provides a conductor for the electric bulb II, the finger 6 constituting a contact for electrically connecting said plate 3 with the battery I.

The bulb II, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 2, is of such form or design as to allow its outer end portion to pass through the opening 4 of the plate 3 and into the opening 5 of the flange a of the member I so that the bulb II may be employed to direct a beam of light exteriorly of the bag, when the members I and 2 are in open position, to facilitate the applying of powder or other make-up to the face in the dark, or to be used as desired as a searchlight.

The base I2 for the bulb I I is frictionally held between the spring arms I4 carried by and integral with an upstanding plate I5 formed at an end portion of the elongated brass member or arm I6 in close contact with the plate 3 and brazed or otherwise secured thereto. The arms I4, plate I5 and the member or arm I6 serves to electrically connect the base I2 of the bulb II with the plate 3.

Bearing against the electrode contact Il for the bulb or lamp II is a spring arm I8 of brass or other desired material which is laterally olfset, as at I8, from and integrally connected with an elongated spring contact arm 20. This arm 20 has its inner portion suitably anchored, as at 2|, to a block 22 which, as herein disclosed, overlies the inner portion of the member or arm I6 immediately adjacent to the plate I5. This block 22 is held in place by the lugs 23 struck from the plate 3 and having close contact with the end faces of the block 22.

The free end portion of the spring resilient arm 20 is provided with a lateral extension 24 which, as a result of the inherent resiliency of the arm 20, comes into electrical engagement with an adjacent contact 25 of the battery I upon relative opening movement of the balls or frames I and 2.

Carried by the outer portion of the arm 20 is an outwardly disposed pin 26 of a length to extend outwardly beyond the flange a of the member I when the bails or frames I and 2 are open. This pin is of such length that when the bails or frames I and 2 are in closed position, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, the pin 26 will be moved inwardly of the member I sufficiently to free the arm 20 from the contact 25 so that during the period the bails or frames I and 2 are closed the circuit for the bulb or lamp I I will be open. However, upon relative opening movement of the bails or frames I and 2 the spring 20 will move into electrical engagement with the contact 25 and thereby close the circuit for the bulb or lamp II. The light rays from the lamp II will effectively illuminate the interior of the bag and at the same time will throw out an exterior beam of light, as hereinbefore referred to. It is to be stated at this time that this exterior beam of light also serves to provide a means to give notice should the bag accidentally open or should it be opened by an unauthorized party.

It is believed to be apparent that as the arm 20 moves to effect an electrical engagement with the contact 25 the pin 26 will be moved outwardly beyond the adjacent flange a of the member I a distance suflicient to assure the desired reverse movement of the arm 20 when the bails or frames I are closed. The flange a of the bail I and the applied plate 3 are provided with registering openings 21 for the free passage of this pin 26. It is also to be stated that this pin 26 is of a material non-conductive of electricity.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A lighting mechanism for a hand bag or the like having relatively movable frames forming the opening for the has. said mechanism includin an elongated plate for placement within one of the frames. an outstanding lug carried by the plate and with which an end portion of an applied dry battery engages. a finger carried by the plate spaced longitudinally thereof from the lug. said finger contacting the opposite end of the applied battery to maintain the same in engagement with the lug and to electrically connect the battery to the plate. said plate having an opening. an electric lamp, means carried by the plate for holding the lamp adjacent to the opening :in the plate. said holding means and plate being in electrical connection with the applied battery, a spring contact arm carried by the plate outwardly of the lug for electrically connecting the lamp to the battery. and a pin or material non-conductive of electricity carried by the spring arm and freely directed through the plate. said pin bein of a length to extend beyond a face of the frame to which the plate is applied so that when the frames are closed the second frame will move the pin inwardly and maintain the spring contact arm out of electrical contact with the battery, said spring arm automatically coming into electrical engagement with the contact of the battery when the frames are moved one away from the other.

2. A lighting mechanism for a hand bag or the like having relatively movable frames forming the openin for the bag. said mechanism including an elongated plate for placement. within one of the frames, an outstanding lug carried by the plate and with which an end portion of an apphed dry battery engages, a finger carried by the plate spaced longitudinally thereof from the lug, said finger contacting the opposite end of the applied battery to maintain the same in engagement with the lug and. to electrically connect the battery to the plate, said plate having an opening, an electric lamp, means carried by the plate for holding the lamp adjacent to the opening in the plate, said holding means and plate being in electrical connection with the applied battery, a spring contact arm carried by the plate outwardly of the lug for electrically connecting the lamp to the battery, and a pin of material non-conductive of electricity carried by the spring arm and freely directed through the plate, said pin being of a length to extend beyond a face of the frame to which the plate is applied so that when the frames are closed the second frame will move the pin inwardly and maintain the spring contact arm out of electrical contact with the battery, said spring arm automatically coming into electrical engagement with the contact of the battery when the frames are moved one away from the other, the lamp including a bulb having its outer end portion extending through the opening of the plate the lug and finger of the plate being struck therefrom.

3. The combination with a receptacle having relatively movable frames forming the opening for the receptacle, one of said frames having a portion of channel formation with its open face disposed inwardly of the bag, of an elongated lighting mechanism comprising a plate conductive of electricity mounted within the channel portion of one of the frames and adjacent to the inner flange of such portion, an outstanding lug carried by the plate and with which an end portion of anapplied dry battery engages, a finger carried by the plate spaced longitudinally thereof from the lug, said finger contacting the opposite end of the applied battery to maintain the same in engagement with the lug and to electrically connect the battery to the plate, an electric bulb, a clamp conductive of electricity and in electrical connection with the plate, said clamp engaging the base portion of the bulb for holding the bulb in position, the plate having an opening through which the outer end portion of the bulb extends, the adjacent flange of the frame also having an opening into which the outer portion of said bulb also extends, a spring contact arm carried by the plate forwardly of the lug and having electrical connection with the bulb, said contact arm being normally in electrical engagement with the battery and a fiber pin freely disposed through the plate and to the adjacent wall of the frame for contact by the second frame when both of the frames are closed for moving the spring arm into open position and maintaining the arm in such position until said frames are outwardly moved one with-respect to the other.

4. The combination with a receptacle having relatively movable frames forming the opening for the receptacle, one of said frames having a portion of channel formation with its open face disposed inwardly of the bag, of an elongated lighting mechanism comprising a plate condwctive of electricity mounted within the channel portion of one of the frames and adjacent to the inner flange of such portion, an outstanding lug carried by the plate and with which an end portion of an applied dry battery engages, a finger carried by the plate spaced longitudinally thereof from the lug, said finger contacting the opposite end of the applied battery to maintain the same in engagement with the lug and to electrically connect the battery to the plate, an electric bulb, a clamp conductive of electricity and in electrical connection with the plate, said clamp engaging the base portion of the bulb for holding the bulb in position, the plate having an opening through which the outer end portion of the bulb extends, the adjacent flange of the frame also having an opening into which the outer portion of said bulb also extends, a spring contact arm carried by the plate forwardly of the lug and having electrical connection with the bulb, said contact arm being normally in electrical engagement with the battery, a fiber pin freely disposed through the plate and ti) the adjacent wall of the frame for contact by the second frame when both of the frames are closed for moving the spring arm into open position and maintaining the arm in such position until said frames are outwardly moved one with respect to the other, an insulating block carried by the plate, and means for securing the spring contact arm to said block.

' CHESTER P. CURLE. 

